Omar Abedeen Qasmi Madani

Omar Abedeen Qasmi Madani was born on 13 October 1981.^[3] His father is Khalid Saifullah Rahmani.^[4][5]

According to Zafeeruddin Miftahi, Madani's family belongs to a long-established scholarly lineage from Jale, Bihar, known for its contributions to Islamic education and public service. His great-great-grandfather, Maulana Abdul Ahad, was among the early graduates of Darul Uloom Deoband and a classmate of Izaz Ali Amrohi under Mahmud Hasan Deobandi. Abdul Ahad's son, Hakim Zainul Abedeen, was a physician and scholar, while another son, Qazi Mujahidul Islam Qasmi, later served as President of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board. Khalid Saifullah Rahmani, Madani's father, is Zainul Abedeen's son, making Mujahidul Islam Qasmi his great-uncle. This lineage places Madani within a family closely connected to Deobandi scholarship and Islamic jurisprudence traditions.^[6][7]

After completing the Dars-e-Nizami course at Darul Uloom Sabil-us-Salam, Hyderabad, in 1999, he pursued the final year of the curriculum, specializing in Hadith studies, at Darul Uloom Deoband in 2000 and received a certificate of excellence. From 2002 to 2004, he completed a two-year Mufti course, a one-year diploma in manuscript research, and a one-year diploma in English language, all at Al Mahadul Aali Al Islami, Hyderabad. In 2004, he completed a BA in History and Sociology from Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad. In 2006, he received an MA in Urdu literature from Osmania University. In 2010, he completed a four-year BA in Hadith at the Islamic University of Madinah. In 2015, he completed his MA (Islamic Studies) from Maulana Azad National Urdu University.^[3][8][9]

From 2010 to 2016, Madani taught as a lecturer in Hadith and Jurisprudence at Al Mahadul Aali Al Islami, Hyderabad. From 2013 to 2016, he chaired the Islamic Courses (Department of Islamization of Textbooks). Between 2013 and 2014, he served as a Mufti on Munsif TV Hyderabad's question-and-answer program Rāh-e-Hidāyat (transl. The Path of instruction), and from 2014 to 2016, he served as a Mufti on ETV Hyderabad's program Sharī'at Ki Roshni Main (transl. In the Light of Shariah).^[3] In March 2024, he gave a speech titled Ramadan Ka Paigham (transl. The Message of Ramadan) on ETV Hyderabad's program Raunaq-e-Ramadan.^[10]

He is the Deputy Director of Al Mahadul Aali Al Islami, Hyderabad;^[11][12][13] the General Secretary of the All India Milli Council, Telangana;^[14][15][16] a member of the International Union of Muslim Scholars (Doha, Qatar); and an Islamic legal adviser for IndiaZakat.com. He also serves as the President of the Imam Foundation for Training and Development, UK (India branch), the Friday Imam and Khatib at Jubilee Hills Mosque and Islamic Centre, and a member of the editorial board for the magazines Bahs-o-Nazar and Al-Modawana (Morocco). Additionally, he directs e-Madrasah (Learn Deen with Abedeen).^[3][17]

Between 2013 and 2016, Madani appeared on religious television programs such as Rāh-e-Hidāyat on Munsif TV and Sharī'at Ki Roshni Main on ETV Hyderabad, where he answered viewers’ questions on Islamic jurisprudence.^[3] In 2024, he also addressed audiences on ETV Urdu’s Ramadan special, Raunaq-e-Ramadan.^[10]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Madani was active in guiding the community on religious observances under lockdown. He advised Muslims to stay at home and pray during Shab-e-Baraat in 2020, citing Islamic principles of preserving human life and compliance with government health guidelines.^[18] He also instructed those observing Eid-ul-Fitr that year to pray at home with family instead of gathering in mosques, and supported the movement encouraging people to donate their Eid shopping budget to the needy. Madani highlighted that Islamic prayers like Chaasht could be performed individually at home as acts of gratitude.^[19]

According to The Times of India, while talking about Islamic feminism, Madani said that Islamic Shariah has given women the right and authority to terminate their marriages through Khul' if their husbands subject them to oppression and deprive them of their rights.^[20]

In connection with raising the slogan Bharat Mata, Madani said that love for the country and worshipping it are two separate subjects that should not be confused with each other. "Without worshipping it, one can love the country as much as any other countryman. The person is like any other patriot."^[21]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, he stated that taking the vaccine while fasting is permissible and does not break the fast, citing a hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari that emphasizes precautionary measures during a pandemic.^[22]

Madani expressed concerns over the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024. He criticized the bill for attempting to undermine the Waqf system and highlighted the unconstitutional inclusion of Hindus on Waqf panels. He emphasized that Waqf is a religious act, and the amendments could obstruct its purpose.^[23]

In September 2025, Madani, as an office bearer and convener of the Waqf Act Protest Committee for Telangana (WAPCTG), responded to the Supreme Court’s interim ruling on the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. While welcoming certain aspects of the judgment, such as the Court’s refusal to accept that Waqf property could lose its status when questioned as government land, he described other parts as unsatisfactory. Abedeen objected to the proposal for determining whether a person had been practising Islam for five years before creating an endowment, arguing that a person attains full religious identity upon declaring the Islamic faith. He also criticized the inclusion of non-Muslim members in Waqf bodies, calling it unconstitutional, and reiterated that the committee would continue to safeguard both Sharia and constitutional rights through its “Save Waqf Campaign.”^[24][25]

In April 2025, following a terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Kashmir, Madani, serving as the spokesperson of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, condemned the attack, describing it as a "failure of the security apparatus." He expressed deep sorrow over the killings, extended condolences to the bereaved families, and emphasized that there is no place for violence in a democracy. As a mark of respect and solidarity, he announced a three-day mourning period and declared the suspension of AIMPLB’s ongoing protests against the Waqf Board Amendment Act.^[26]

In October 2024, Madani condemned recent communal conflicts in Telangana, urging swift police intervention to restore peace and prevent divisive narratives. He highlighted the need for immediate action to curb activities and rhetoric that could increase communal tensions, reflecting his commitment to fostering unity in the region.^[27][28]

In early November 2024, Madani urged the Telangana government to release caste survey forms in Urdu and English to ensure accessibility and clarity for the public. He emphasized that many people are unaware of the information required for the ongoing survey and that providing forms in these languages, even as PDFs, would help them participate more effectively in the process.^[29]

Madani has spoken about the economic hardships faced by huffaz and imams during the COVID-19 lockdown, noting that their income largely depends on leading Taraweeh prayers in Ramadan, which could not take place due to restrictions.^[30]

He has also expressed concern over pilgrims being unwittingly used as couriers by unscrupulous travel agents, arguing that fundamental community needs such as income, education, and healthcare should be prioritized over non-obligatory pilgrimages like Umrah.^[31]

Madani has warned against the use of social media in fueling sectarian tensions, emphasizing that religious debates should remain in scholarly contexts and not be misused to create discord.^[32]